Sentimentality
by ChewyKookie
Summary: In which a poor bundle of daisies meet their demise by the hands of an irate corporal. AU, Levi/Mikasa; Prompt: sincerity


**Hello there! I'm so far behind because of some technical issues for the past few days, but even though this is late I've made it my personal goal to finish all the prompts for my first Rivamika week. So. Here's a quick, fluffy AU with our lovely couple- because I honestly need some fluff to balance out all the angst I've been writing lately lol. ****plus who doesn't love a jealous Levi haha**** This has been rotting on my computer for a month, so I went back, tweaked it, and posted it up for this prompt. Hope you all enjoy! ^_^**

_**Rivamika Week, Day 5: Violets**_

_**Prompt: Sincerity**_

_**Summary: In which a poor bundle of daisies meet their demise by the hands of an irate corporal. AU**_

* * *

This was definitely _not_ how he'd wanted to spend his Saturday morning.

The last thing he'd needed was Kirstein banging on his door (at fucking _seven AM_, no less) not only interrupting their breakfast, but also bestowing his girlfriend with a romantic themed gift- all while Levi was in the same damn room. If looks could kill the brat would have been six feet under by now, but Levi had relished in the way the boy had nearly shitted his pants when he'd finally caught sight of the shorter man. Needless to say, the brat had dashed down the hall so quickly one would think he'd been being chased by a rabid dog (though, in retrospect, a rabid dog would be preferred any day over an irate Levi). Unfortunately, Jean hadn't bothered to take his abomination with him.

Blue eyes glared frostily at the floral in her hands, and if Mikasa hadn't known better, she could have sworn she saw the flowers wilt under his acidic stare. She twisted her torso, as if she could somehow shield the poor petals from Levi's inhuman glowers, but the motion only seemed to make his expression darken further. "For God's sake, Levi, stop glaring at them!"

"Then stop coddling them!" he snapped, crossing his arms moodily. It irked him to see her protective over something as trivial and cliché as _flowers-_ especially when he hadn't been the one to have given them to her. He knew it petty, and silly, and the slightest bit childish, but it was a universal rule amongst the male population to be so abrasive about such a thing. However, the Japanese girl before him remained unsympathetic; Mikasa rolled her eyes.

"They're just flowers, Levi. There's no harm in me accepting them, especially if he went through the trouble to get them." She grabbed a vase and filled it water before gently placing the small bouquet of daisies inside. "Besides, it doesn't mean anything, so no need to get all territorial."

Now had it been some other instance, he would have accepted her words and the two would have gone on with their lives, case closed and ordeal over with. However, this wasn't just _some_ occasion; it was Valentine's Day, of all days, and not only did his girlfriend accept flowers from another man, that man just so happened to be Jean Kirstein- that one guy from down the hall who had been drooling after her for nearly three years now. The damned brat didn't know when to give up, even when said girl was already claimed. The only reason Levi hadn't confronted him was solely for the knowledge that the guy was scared shitless of him (much to his smug satisfaction), and it wasn't as if Horse-face had ever posed much of a threat.

But as he watched her stroke the petals gently, a soft smile adorning her face, Levi was pretty hell bent on getting his point across- preferably in a way that involved dark alleyways and his favorite form of _discipline. _The thought brought forth a black smirk, but it quickly became a scowl as he watched her move across the kitchen. He couldn't help but glower at how utterly contented she looked- by a frivolous gift, at that- or how happy she had been when she'd received it at the door. He didn't miss the way her hands handled the bouquet with the utmost care, and it didn't escape his notice how she purposely set it at the top shelf, where she usually placed all objects of importance. _'No harm' my ass,_ he thought darkly.

"You know, it's only going to wither and die." He deadpanned, moving forward to help her set the table. Mikasa shot him a look, before rolling her eyes for the second time.

"Your pessimistic views are as charming as always, shorty." She replied sarcastically, setting down the toast and jam before walking back to the stove.

He ignored her, instead continuing on as if she hadn't interrupted, "And flowers are just about the most stereotypical thing a guy can give on Valentine's Day." He frowned distastefully, "No originality whatsoever." This time he heard her sigh in annoyance.

"It's the thought that counts," she said, exasperated, before turning back to her eggs. He saw her smile a little as she continued, "And it's the first time anyone's given me flowers, so I think it doesn't matter how frivolous it is."

He paused at that, surprised. _Ah, so that's it._ It explained why she liked the bouquet so much, especially since she generally held no interest in the usual male exploit. However, this only served to annoy him further. The brat had given her one of her firsts, and although it was probably insignificant to all the other firsts he himself had given her, the idea still rubbed him the wrong way. Again, he blamed it on gender dynamics.

Noticing his brooding silence, Mikasa chuckled softly. It amazed her how such a stoic and impassive man could become so agitated by the simplest things. She couldn't help but find it a bit endearing… nor did she deny that she found entertainment in riling him up. Leaning forward, she graced him with a quick, reassuring peck on the cheek before sitting down to eat.

"Like you said, it'll probably be wrinkled up by the end of the week, no use in getting worked up over something that will eventually shrivel away." She shrugged, seeming to placate him slightly, before reaching forward and swiping some toast off his plate. He tossed her an annoyed look, but remained silent, her words ringing in his head. Perhaps, he mused, he could turn this into his favor after all. Gears working in his mind and a plan formulating in his brain, the man smirked. If it was one thing he was known for, other than his obsessive cleaning streak and biting tongue, it was his strategic prowess; and he'd be damned if someone like _Kirstein_ got the last laugh- on his turf, no less.

Eying the daisies from his peripheral vision, he allowed himself a sadistic smirk.

* * *

When Mikasa arrived home later that night, she was beyond exhausted.

Her co-workers had been driving her up a wall for the past nine hours, and though it hadn't impaired her working skill at all, it hadn't helped her growing migraine. They were chaotic on any other day of the week, but they were downright _lunatics _when it came to Valentine's day. She loved her friends- she _truly_ did- but she'd had an urge to strangle each one of them and leave their bodies in the supply closet for the janitor to find later. It had been one of those days.

Jean and Eren had been at one another's throat per usual (this time quarreling over how greater valentine count somehow paralleled to utter manliness), with a worried Marco and Connie trying in vain to stop the fight from escalating further (a lost cause, in her opinion, and one that grated on her nerves on a daily basis). And then across the office, against Bert's stammered warnings, Reiner had continuously teased Annie for the sweets Armin had given her- that is, until the stoic blonde had violently judo flipped him without a hint of remorse (probably the only source of amusement for her all day, she thought wryly). Next door, Ymir had been downright _growling_ at any male who came within four feet of Krista (sometimes Mikasa wondered if the woman was part Rottweiler or something- especially when the petite blonde was involved). Then Hange had entered her office with a knowing smirk, had extravagantly bestowed her a pair of pink, fluffy handcuffs before exiting with a wink and a snicker (she was still reeling from _that_ encounter, even as those very handcuffs were burning a hole in her handbag).

And then there was Sasha, whose hand had suspiciously- and unwaveringly- slithered across her desk to Mikasa's pile of uneaten chocolates (they'd both received some from friends around the building, but Sasha had blazed through her share in about five minutes flat. Mikasa vaguely pondered on how the girl remained so slim with that insatiable appetite of hers). The Japanese woman had slapped the offending appendage away at every attempt, but eventually caved at the hungry puppy eyes the brunette had given her (she was more of a vanilla person anyway, she'd said, and Sasha seemed about ready to tackle her with a hug). By the time her shift ended, Mikasa was pretty much done for the day.

With a sigh she unlocked the door to her apartment, before coming to a complete halt. Suspiciously, Mikasa scanned the vacancy with a critical eye. Something was off, she thought as she closed the door behind her- something was different from this morning. She could hear the shower running from he bathroom, belatedly noticing that Levi was home earlier than usual, but that hadn't been what caught her notice. Frowning, she took a hesitant sniff before her grey eyes widened in surprise. Was something... burning? She kicked off her heels haphazardly near the doorway (a habit that drove levi up a wall, which was why she continued to do so everyday) and made a beeline for the kitchen, tossing her handbag and keys on the couch midway. However, nothing seemed out of place- in fact, everything was still sparkling and spotless as normal (who needed a maid when you had a clean freak for a boyfriend?). She heard the shower close, and took the chance to call through the door.

"Levi, have you been smoking again?" It was an unhealthy habit of his since college, one that had thankfully been long since broken, though she wouldn't put it past him to have a pack hiding around the apartment somewhere. She'd always found it ironic that for a man who preferred cleanliness over anything, he'd had a habit to pollute his lungs every other day. She knew it wasn't a very good greeting, but at the moment she could care less for pleasantries.

"Tch, with you nagging at me about it every waking hour, I doubt I'd even have the chance." he called back from behind the door, annoyed, and she couldn't help but feel even more confused than before.

"Then what-?" her question abruptly halted, however, when her gaze landed on a particular lavender bundle in the center of the dining table. Her eyes widened in surprise, recognition blazing through her, and she swiftly moved forward to fondly touch the bouquet of petals. It was a beautifl assortment, a mix of buds and blooms that spiraled together artfully, and it was such a bright vivid hue that it put Jean's white daisies to shame. She was so enamored by the floral that she didn't notice the bathroom door creak open behind her, nor did she see the brief satisfied look that crossed the male's features.

"Like them?" She blinked, coming out of her daze, and turned to look at the speaker. Levi stood leaning against the door frame, wearing nothing but a pair of black pajama pants, arms folded neatly across his bare chest as he awaited her answer with a straight face. She nodded, smiling happily, and the slight tension in his shoulders seemed to ease away.

"How did you know they were my favorite?" she asked him, gazing affectionately down at the flowers before her. She had only told a handful of people about her preferences, simply because she was a private person at heart, and even then many tended to forget her rare indications (She knew for a fact that Eren wouldn't remember, even as he tried- and succeeded- to be the best brother he could be for her, and Jean hadn't known from the looks of their morning encounter).

"I notice things." he said simply, shrugging, but his answer made her all the more happy. She had only mentioned them once before, last year, when she had off offhandedly told him about how she had loved violets since she was a child; it had been a sort of tradition for she and her mother to collect them every spring. The fact that he remembered- and the fact that he had even found them mid winter, especially when they were so rare to come by- made her insides go warm with affection. "Besides, roses are too overdone, and daisies are far too understated," he muttered evenly, and she couldn't keep her chuckle from escaping.

"What happened to 'no originality whatsoever'?" she asked jokingly, and she watched as he shifted his eyes away for a split second before peering back at her.

"I made an exception," he said off-handily, finally strolling towards her, and pinned her with an impassive glance, "So feel honored." She only smiled, running her fingers delicately over the violet petals, and the shorter man felt more than a little pleased with himself as he watched an adoring expression bloom across her face.

"You didn't have to," she said, though she couldn't hide the appreciation in her voice, "we celebrated my birthday only a few days ago."

"Apparently, I did," he muttered darkly, thinking back to this morning, but his expression softened as she looked up at him. He knew, of course, that these would wither away just as easily as Kirstein's would, if only at a slower pace, but at least the sentiment behind his gift would have a more resounding impact on her- and from the joyous little smile she continued to wear, he knew he was correct. He found that he had triumphed in more ways than one that day.

"You should get jealous more often, it seems like I get the best out of it." She murmured teasingly, smirking at his irritated glare. But his annoyance melted away when she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. Humming appreciatively, he moved to deepen the kiss only for her to pull away at the last second, that same teasing smirk still present. "Thank you," she murmured sincerely, before pulling away entirely.

She gently grabbed the vase of violets and carried it towards the shelf, paying no mind the man's annoyed grumbling behind her. Everything seemed to finally wind down neatly as she carefully placed the violets in their designated space, and she for one was contented by his small- though entirely meaningful- gesture. That is, until she noticed something missing from the top shelf. Eyes immediately narrowing, she called out to the shorter man.

"Levi, where are the daisies?" Suddenly, the grumbling behind her ceased and there was a prolonged silence between them. She finally turned, dishing him a frosty glare, "Levi-"

But before she could interrogate him she suddenly found herself shoved against the wall, her body pressed flush against him. She gasped in surprise, and he took advantage of her momentary bewilderment to slant his mouth hard against hers. Reflexively her arms steadied themselves on his shoulders, fingers digging into his skin fervently, and the motion only seemed to spur him further as he pressed his hips harder against hers. His hand tangled into her onyx locks and tugged until her head fell back against the wall, exposing the alabaster planes of her neck. She moaned as he nipped the lobe her ear, trailing down the slope of her jaw until he was pressing wet, open mouth kisses to her throat.

"I did something morally good, for once," he mumbled into her neck, and she shivered at the way his breath ghosted over her flesh, "Don't ruin the moment, Ackerman." Before she could launch a verbal retaliation of her own, he slammed his mouth back to hers, teeth nipping and biting insistently against her lips. She knew, faintly, that he was only distracting her from the issue at hand- and realized that it was working- but she found she didn't care the slightest bit. Desire winning over, she finally arched into him and moaned, parting her lips and wrestling her tongue heatedly with his. He groaned, angling his face closer to kiss her more deeply, and slowly she felt all previous arguments seep away to the recesses of her mind. She quickly fisted a few strands of his dark hair and tugged harshly, nails simultaneously scraping against the nape of his neck, and this time he shuddered at the sensation. Just as things were getting out of hand, however, the atmosphere shattered as a shrill ringing broke out into the air. Blinking dazedly, she pulled away to find him cursing darkly under his breath. Levi reached over and grabbed his cell phone off the counter-top, scowling acidly at the screen.

"Aren't you going to answer?" Mikasa asked once she regained her breath, brow raised in question, but he shook his head irritatedly in response.

"It's only Four- Eyes," he muttered, annoyed, "she's been calling me nonstop for the past two hours and no matter how many times I tell her to, she won't fucking stop." Mikasa thought back to the woman's suggestive wink a few hours earlier in the office and flushed, but Levi didn't seem to notice as he glared at the caller ID.

With an annoyed scoff he tossed the cell phone on the couch before grabbing her wrist and all but dragging her to their quarters. Smirking, she snagged her handbag as she followed his lead to the bedroom, eyes darkening with endless possibilities- perhaps she'd have a chance to try out those new handcuffs after all.

* * *

It wasn't until the next day, when she had been cleaning out the fireplace (because it was a necessity when living in New York and it was ten below outside), that she stumbled upon a faint scent, a familiar floral smell- one that she had sniffed appreciatively the morning before. Freezing, she couldn't help but stare disbelievingly at the ash before her, a nagging suspicion rising in her chest.

He didn't...

Digging through the very perimeter of the fireplace, she looked for any salvageable evidence amongst the smoke and ash. Finally, at the very corner, she found a familiar narrow petaled shape amidst the destruction, burnt to a horrid black crisp but still distinguishable despite its mutilated state.

He did.

With a frustrated growl she threw down the disfigured remains of the daisy and stalked back to her bedroom, where no doubt an impassive and remorseless male awaited her.

"Dammit, Levi!"

* * *

**Hope you guys enjoyed, please read and review, thanks! ^_^**


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